Chassis.



G. H. BUTLER'.

' CHASSIS.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.24,1913.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

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:ill sramns rarmr''orriumfv CHARLES H. BUTLER, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented dan.. 5, 1915..

Application led November 24, 1913. Serial No. 802,62L` v To all whom t mag/'concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented newand useful 'Improvements in Chassis, ,of which the following is a. specification. r

- construct the chassis that it can be springsupported at its forward end over the front axle ofthe vehicle and yieldably suspended at its rear end beneath the-rear axle.

'Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention primarily resides in a bedframe' formed with a raised forwardend portion adapted to extend over the front axle of a vehicle, spring means interposed between the front axle and-the raised portion of the bed-frame, and means for yieldably suspending the rear end of the frame v beneath the rear axle.

The invention further consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinaftermore fully described and claimed7 having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 `is a plan view ofthe chassis. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section and elevation on the line a-a of Fig. 2.

Inthe drawings the bed-frame portion of the chassis is shown as comprising a rectangular .frame formed with side members 2, end members 3, and a series of lateral beams" 4 secured to the side members 2 and spaced at suitable intervals apart throughout the length of the bed-frame. The side and end members 2 and 3 are preferably formed lof channel-iron, and the lateral 4members lf are formed of I-beams.v The end members 3 and the lateral members .4f are4 connected to` gether by means of longitudinally extending beams', which are secured lat their ends to the members 3- and 4 by angle-irons 6.

The beams 4 and 5 are arranged in any suitable manner best adapted to give the necessary strength and rigi 1ity to the bed-frame; gusset plates 7 being provided at the intersections of the members 2k3-4 and 5 to increase the horizontal stability of the structure. A pair'of the longitudinal beams 5 is shown .as connecting the forward end member 3 to the transverse beam et adjacent thereto; these beams 5 being extended to project beyond the outer face of the forward end member 3, as indicated at 5. (Lon` nected to the outer end portions 5 of the beams f5 and at their intersection with the forward end member 3 are channel-iron uprights 8, and mounted at the intersectiomof the forward end member 3 and the side members A2 are angle-iron uprights 9. Carried on the angle-iron l'lprights-Q and spaced a suitable distance above the forward end member issa transverse channel-iron 1,0. to which the upper ends of the uprights 8, contiguous to the end member' 3, are secured.

Mounted on the uprights S, on thelcvel with the transverse member l0 and paralleling the extended portions 5 of the beams 5. are channel-iron beams ll. The outer ends of the beams 11 project beyond the outer up-` rights 9 and are connected toegther by means of a header beam 12. The beams 10--1l and 12, supported on the uprights 8, form a raised frame structure on the forward end of the bed-frame which is adapted to extend over the front axle A of a vehicle, and supported upon springs 13 of any suitable description interposed between the beams 11 and the -axle A; The rear portion of the bed-frame is designed to be suspended beneath'the rear axle B of the vehicle` This is accomplished by mounting spring members 14 on the rear axle B and connecting the spring members 14 to the side members 2 of the bed-frame by means of depending links 15, as particularly shown in Fig. 2, which links are pivoted at their lowerv en'ds to the underside of the side members 2, as-

shown at 16. v l

Mounted on the uprights S immediately above the extended portions 5 of the beams 5 are channel-iron beams 17, to which transverse beams 18 are connected, and supported on the transverse beams 1S are longitudinally disposed angle-irons 19 attached to channel-irons 20; the angle-irons 19- and channel-irons- 20 forming a bed or support for the motor or engine in propelling the vehicle. Vertical gusset plates ill-are cor.- nected to the forward end member 3 and the upright channel-iron 8 thereagainst, to brace the latter and thereby increase their I stability.

By forming the chassis as herein shown t and described, it can be mounted to position the bed-frame portion close to the ground, which is particularly advantageous in truck 1G construction.

Having thus describedmy invention, what AI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vehicle chassis, a rectangular bedframe, comprising channel-iron side and end members and lateral beams connected to the said members, a raised forwardlyV extending end-frame on the front end of the bedframe, spring members interposed between the raised endeframe and the front axle of the vehicle, a motor supporting frame situated between the-front end of the bed-frame and the raised end-frame below said spring members, spring members carried by the 'rear axle, and links attached to the last named spring members connected with and suspending the `rear portion of the bedframe.

2. A vehicle chassis comprising a main 'lframe, a'narrowed portion secured to the front end of said frame, uprights projecting vertically from the junction of the end frame to the main frame, a'second pair of uprights projecting vertically from the end of the end frame, and a support for the front -of the chassis located outside of said last mentioned pair of uprights. v

3; The combination with the front and l rear axles of a vehicle, of a chassis having "40.". the front end raised to lie above the front axle, andgformed to extend beneath the rear axle, and longitudinally extending members lying entirely back of the front axle rigidly securedto the chassis substantially '45 midway between 'the main body thereof and said raised portion.

4. The combination with the front and rear axles of a vehicle, of a chassis having its front end raised to lie above the front `axle, vand formed to'extend beneath the rear axle,'spring members above the rear axle, means for suspending the rear end of the chassis from said spring members, and longitudinally extending memberslying entirely back of the front axle rigidly secured to the chassis substantially-midway between the main' body thereof and said raised portion, for supporting a motor.

5. The combination with the front and rear axles of a vehicle, of a chassis having. its front end narrowed to extend above the front axle and beneath the rear axle, spring members interposed between the front axle l and the chassis, a motor supporting .frame l lying in a plane below said spring members insens'.

and above said chassis, spring members above the rear axle, and depending links suspending the rear end of the chassis from the last named spring members.

6. ln a vehicle chassis, a rectangular bed frame comprising channel-iron side and end members and lateral beams connected to the said members', a narrowed and forwardly extending end frame on the front end of the bed frame, spring members interposed between the raised end frame and the front axle of the vehicle, a motor supporting frame lying in a lower plane than said axle and located .rearwardly thereof, the said frame lying in a plane above the channeliron side members, spring members carried by the rear axle, and links attached to the last named spring members connecting with and suspending the rearportion of the bed frame. v

, 7. A vehicle chassis comprising a rectangular bed-frame, a narrowed and raised end frame, supporting members for said end frame, attached to the uppermost longitudinal member above the front axle of the vehicle, and longitudinally extending channel-irons rigidly secured to said end frame below said members for supporting a motor.

8. A vehicle chassis comprisin a pair of channel-iron side members, a' p urality of lateral beams connected to said side members, a pair of uprights secured to the front end of the chassis 'inside of said side members, a narrowed frame projecting forwardly from said uprights, 'said frame comprising a lower pair of channel-irons, an upper pair of channel-irons for supporting the chassis, and an intermediate motor supporting frame.

9. A vehicle chassis comprising a pair of channel-iron side members, a pair of lateral beams connecting said side members at the ends thereof, supplemental beam substantially midway between'said pair of beams, and a pair of longitudinal. beams located within and parallel to said side members and projecting from said supplemental beam forwardly beyond said front end beam.

10; A vehicle chassis comprising pair of channel-iron side members, a pair of lateral` beams connecting said side members at the ends thereof, a supplemental beam substantially midway between said pair of beams, a pair of longitudinal beams located within and parallel to said side members and projecting from said supplemental beam forwardly beyond said front end beam, and an upright projecting vertically from the junction of each of said longitudinal beams with the front end beams, and also from the forward end of each of said longitudinal beams.

11. A vehicle chassis comprising a pair of channel-iron side members, a pair of lateral beams connecting said side members at the Massei ends tially midway between said pair of beams, a pair of longitudinal beams located Within and parallel to said side members and projecting from said supplemental beam forwardly beyond said front end beams, an up-.. right projecting vertically from the junction of each of said longitudinal beams with the front end beams and also from the ward end of each of said longitudinal beams, and a motor supporting frame carried by said uprights' above the longitudinal beams.

l2. A vehicle chassis comprising a pair of channel-ironside members, a pair of lateral beams connecting said side members lat the ends thereof, a supplemental'beam substan# tially midway between said pair of'beams,l

a pair of longitudinal beams located within and parallel to said side members and projecting from said supplemental beam forthereof, a supplemental beam substantion of eachv of saidV longitudinal beams wardly beyond said front end beams, an upright projecting vertically from the juncwith the front end beams and also from the for ward endof each of said longitudinal beams, a` motor supporting frame carried by said uprights' above` the longitudinal beams, and a pairof channel-irons projecting forwardly -from the uprights and eX- tendingabove the front axle of the vehicle, and springs attacliieolto the underside of said channel-irons for supporting the front end of the chassis from the axle.

In testimony whereofgl have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. y

' CHARLES H. BUTLER. `Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING,

HEALEY. 

